Class One. This מאמר is מוגה. This מאמר begins typically enough but then turns on its head. (in this class we learned the beginning and the end of the מאמר the middle we’ll do next time). The first explanation is: ציון are Yidden who stand out in Galus and deserve “משפט” redemption; while שבי’ה are Jews who are lost in Galus and their redemption is a צדקה. He then offers an entirely different insight based on a reading of the two words תפדה ושבי’ה. He explains that some Jews need redeeming (of one type or another) תפדה, while others need no redeeming just relocating back to ארץ ישראל. They are called שבי’ה. In this reading of the מאמר it must explain why the higher Jews שבי’ה are taken from Galus as a צדקה and the Jews who need redeeming are getting it in a deserved manner: משפט. This class answers this question: he who suffers is rewarded, not he who benefits from someone else’s challenges.
Class Two. In this class we learned the middle of the מאמר which is also known as the ביאור. The Rebbe refers to the Rebbe RaShaB’s Ma’amar ציון במשפט תפדה עדר”ת. He explains that אור וכלי which he later compares to נשמה וגוף are these two levels: תפדה ושבי’ה- the level that struggles with Galus versus the level that is only in the place of Galus but isn’t affected by Galus and he needs no redemption, only return. Transforming darkness to light has two levels: 1) You see the power of light in the place of darkness. 2) The transforming of darkness itself. תפדה earns this and for שבי’ה it is צדקה.
